


retirement

by iimpavid



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Ballet, Gen, Peter Nureyev's Alias Catalog, Speculation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:02:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21721924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iimpavid/pseuds/iimpavid
Summary: How unlike a dancer, to not want to be seen, but it’s in his nature to pass unremarked.
Kudos: 8





	retirement

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little snippet of an AU.

“ _ The Tharsis Ballet Company announced further delays in its production of The Angel of Brahma due to another cast injury this week. The understudy for the titular role, Lyudmilla Ivanov, has been admitted to Daedalia General in stable condition with no further details on the nature of her injury available at this time. This announcement follows the principal dancer for the role, Vincente Vladislav, sustaining a devastating fracture to his femur in a freak catwalk collapse just two weeks ago, causing the initial set of delays. At present, there is no word on when the Company anticipates being able to open the show or if it will run at all.  _

_ “Banned across half the states of the Outer Rim, there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that The Angel of Brahma is a politically-divisive drama, but in light of recent production struggles and it’s bloody history, some online commentators are wondering whether the ballet might be cursed. _

_ “According to rumor, the original Angel, a previously-unknown Brahmese dancer named Peter Nureyev, reached the echelons of stardom after taking the role— and the role took what it could in return. The signature red-toed pointe shoes required by the Angel role that feature prominently in every poster ever produced for the original run of the show were inspired directly by injuries Nureyev sustained during— _ ”

“ _ Amelie _ , be a dear and turn that drivel off, won’t you?”

But she’s already scrambling out of her stretches to shut off the radio as Peter glides through the studio door. She’s a capable student, if a distractible one. He choreographs for local theater productions in mornings, hosts private lessons on odd afternoons, and he’s early. Either the Marineris University dance team have successfully managed the company entrance in the second act of  _ Swan Lake _ of they’ve disappointed him again. It’s a difficult sequence, two dozen dancers inching in unison through their processional. It’s impossible to tell by his mien whether they managed to improve. 

In light of this measured calm Amelie feels confident enough to ask, “Is it true?”

He considers her, glasses perched on the end of his nose, looking decidedly annoyed. “That most modern radio is celebrity-focused drivel? Yes.” 

“No, I mean, is it true you danced your shoes bloody for The Angel?” 

“They were  _ barely _ pink on the inside and I couldn’t afford to replace them so I wore them for the whole production. They turned brown before they fell apart at the start of the last show.” He rolled his eyes, tired already of the talk of the past. Impatient, he explained, “I hit an unfortunate growth spurt during the first run; they had to let out my costume every other night and I couldn’t walk for a week after we closed. There’s nothing magical or tragic about it and, as you can clearly see, I wasn’t so badly injured I had to stop dancing.”

“But you’re basically retired.” 

His eyebrows shoot up. “Is  _ this _ retirement? I thought I was teaching.” 

“You know what I mean! Dancers like you, they don’t start teaching until their careers are over, when they’re, like, 30!”  He snorted. “This  _ is _ my career: Amelie, turning gossip-mongering ducks into swans. I hope you’ve limbered up since last week; Romantic era _ port de bras _ is all about graceful arcs. I don’t want to see any of that jagged twenty-third-century revisionism in your arms. It’s insulting to Taglioni’s great work.” 


End file.
